The examination with an ultrasound apparatus, more specifically a handheld ultrasound apparatus of a type such that the user holds an ultrasound probe in the hand, is performed by pressing the ultrasound probe connected by a cable to a main body to an examination segment. A probe support apparatus is known in which the cable is locked to a stand or an arm and the ultrasound probe is suspended from above in order to prevent the cable from coming into contact with the floor or the patient or hooking onto the bed during the examination.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a cable guide apparatus in which the cable of an ultrasound probe is incorporated in a foldable arm, and the ultrasound probe is suspended from the upper end of the arm. However, the problem associated with the cable guide apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is that the position of the arm should be adjusted in advance by manual operations according to usage state of the ultrasound probe, and the cable guide apparatus is difficult to operate.
Patent Literature 2 discloses an ultrasound apparatus in which the position of an ultrasound probe is specified with a sensor, and a cable support position at the upper end of an arm is controlled to be located vertically above the ultrasound probe, by a drive apparatus such as a motor. However, the problem associated with the ultrasound apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 2 is that a sensor and a drive apparatus such as a motor are needed and the cost is increased.
Similar problems are also associated with a support for a photoacoustic probe in a photoacoustic apparatus for examination using the photoacoustic effect, such as described in Patent Literature 3.